Pay-off reel



2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 F l E- 5- hweizimzs J05 z 105/5/0 and m W f I 4 1 w 1 m l 7 d {J1 .1 l. N Z I H a WA May 27, 1952 I J. L. LOSINSKI' ETAL PAY OFF REEL Filed April 6, 1949 Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED PATENT OFFICE PAY-01hrREL' John L. Losinski and John E. Schwermer', Duluth, Minn. t,

' Application April 6, 1949, Serial Nbisas is claims. (01. 242'-84) pay-off reels which accommodate reserve coils in addition to coils for feeding and which have improved devices for supporting the reserve coils and for shifting such coils to the feeding position.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved devices for supporting reserve coilsin pay-off reels in which the reserve coils rotate with the feeding coils, thereby enabling the ends of the reserve and feeding coils to be joined for continuous feeding Without stopping the reel.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved devices which support reserve coils in pay-off reels and which can be constructed by the addition of a few relatively simple'parts to standard, single coil pay-off reels.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, we have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying, drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pay-off reel which is equipped with an improved reserve coil supporting device embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the reel; Figure 3 is a side elevational view at right angles to the view of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrow 3 on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line IV-IV of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a horizontalsectional view taken substantially on line VV of Figure 4.

In the drawings there is shown a pay-off reel which comprises the usual stationary support and rotatable framework. The support includes a base l0 and an upright spindle 12. The framework includes a, platform l3, inner and outer' cages l4 and I5 fixed tosaid platform, and top and bottom bearings 16 and I1 fixed to theinner cage and platform respectively.- These bearings are rotatably received on spindle 12. The reel is shown equipped with a wood brake bar l9 which is clamped rather loosely to the spindle and engages the inner cage to rotate therewith for preventing over-reeling and backlash. The platform carries a coil S of flexible material, such as wire, rod or the like, which is positioned for feeding. The framework rotates relatively slowly, the rotative force being applied to the flexible material externally of the reel. The structure and operation thus far described are fairly typical of payoff reels and hence are not described in greater detail. Also it is apparent that this structure may be altered considerably without affecting the reserve coil supporting device of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the framework of the reel carries a pair of horizontal bearing sleeves 20 and 20a, which preferably are welded to diametrically opposed sides of inner cage H. A pair of carriers 2| and. 2 la have axles 22 which are pivotally received in the respective sleeves. Each of said carriers is of U-shape in plan and has arms 23 which extend outside the framework and a bight 24 which extends inside the framework and is offset downwardly from the arms. Axle 22 is joined to each carrier at the bend between the arms and the bight. The carriers have two positions which are shown in full and in dot-dash lines in Figure 2 and are the coil supporting and coil releasing positions respectively. The carriers are balanced 'so that they normally gravitate to their coil supporting positions, in which their arms 23 are substantially horizontal and can support a reserve coil R.

A trip mechanism holds the carriers in their coil supporting positions against the weight of a reserve coil. mechanism includesa sleeve 25 which is rotatably supported on spindle l2 and has laterally extending wings 26 and 26a which abut bights 24 of the carriers. An operating handle 21 is welded to sleeve 25 or to one of its wings. Normally the-sleeve, wings and handle rotate with the framework, but they can-be rotated manually relative to thespindle and framework. Such rotation frees wings 26 and 26a from the carrier bights. The weight of the reserve coil then pivots the arms to their-coil releasing position in which the reserve-coil drops to platform -I 3 into feeding. position. 7 When the carriers are free of the'weight of the reserve coil they gravitate back to their coil supporting positions and the trip mechanism is returned manually to the position in which its wings support the. carfeeding and that both coils rotate at the same speed. Inasmuch as the rate of rotation is relatively slow. the leading end of the reserve coil, can be joined to the trailing end of the coil which is feeding without stopping the reel. When the coil which is feeding is exhausted, the reserve coil can be shifted quickly to the feeding position and the device reset to receive another reserve coil. Thereforesuch devices eliminate interruptions in feeding the coils and expedite whatever operation is performed on the coils.

The device is constructed of simple parts which can be added readily to pay-oil reels of many standard designs.

While we have shown and that modifications may arise. Therefore, we do e r ed 9n1esingle embodiment of the invention, it is apparent;

not wish to be limited to the disclosure set fcirtliv but only by the scope of the appended claims.-

We claim:

1. In a pay-off reel for feeding flexible material from coils "comprisingaistationary support and a 'framework'mounted'to rotate as a unit on said support and having means-for supporting a coil for feeding; a devicefor supportingalre' serve coil .on said"framework"above "said"first named coil supporting means including carriers supported onsaid framework'to rotate therewith and movable to -coil supporting -and coil releasing positions, said'cari'ier's' beingbalancedto move normally to their 'coil'supporting positions when free of a coil and to their coil releasing positions under the weight of acoil, and trip mechanism for holding said carriers in their coil "supporting positions against "the weight ofa coil and being releasable fromsaidcarriers to enable the latter to move to their coil releasing "positions to drop a coil supported thereonto said first named coil supporting" means.

2. In a pay-off reelfor feeding fiexible' material from" coils"comp risin'g *a s'tationary support and a framework mounted to rotate as'a unit'on said support'and having a platform for supporting a coil forfeedi'ng, a d'evicefor supporting a reserve coil .orrsaid framework above said platform including "a j pair 'off'ca'rriers supported on said framework torotate therewith and movable to coil supporting and icoil releasing -positions,

'sai'd carriers-being balanced 'tom'ove normally to their coil supporting positions when free "of a coil and 'to their coil releasing positionsurrder the weight of a coil, and-trip mechanismrot'atably mounted on said stationarysupport'and nor mally rotatable with saidframework} said trip mechanism supporting said carriers in their coil supporting positions against-- the weight ofa frioil and being manually releasable from said carriers to enable the latter'to 'move to their coil releasing positions to drop a coil supportedthereon to said platform. I v

3. In a pay-off reel 'for'fe'eding flexible material from coils comprising a "stationary support and a framework rotatably mounted on said support and having a platform forsupportin'g-a 'coil said frameworkand adapted to support a reserve coil and bights extendingwithin saidframework, said carriers having coil supporting a'n'dcoil re for feeding, a deviceforsupporting a reserve-coil above said platform including a pair of U-slia-ped carriers supported on-said framework to iptate therewith and havin'ganiis extei'iding- -outside leasing positions and being balanced to move normally to their coil supporting positions when free of a coil and to their coil releasing positions under the weight of a coil, and trip mechanism engage able with said bights for holding said carriers in their coil supporting positions against the weight of a coil and being releasable from said bights toenable said carriers to move to their coil'releasingpositions todrop -a coil supported thereon to said platform."

4. In a pay-ofi reel for feeding flexible material from coils comprising a stationary support anda framework rotatably mounted on said support and-having a platform for supporting a coil r ior 'feeding a device for supporting a reserve coil above said platform including a pair of U-shaped carriers supported on said framework torotate therewith and having arms extending outside said framework and adapted to support a reserve coil and bights extending within said framework, said carriers having-coil supporting and 'coil "releasing positions and being balanced to move normally to their coil supporting pos'itions'when free of a coil and to their coil releasing positions under the weight of a boil, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said stationary support and normally rotatable with said framework, wings on-said sleeve engageable 'with said bights'for holding said carriers in their coil -'supporting-positions, and means for rotating said sleeve manually relative to said framework for releasing said wings from saidbights to enable sai'dbar riers to move to'th eir'co-ilreleasing positions and drop a'coil supported thereon to said platform.

5; In a pay-off reel for feeding fl'exible'material from coils comprising a stationary base; an upright spindle fixed to'sai'd'baise; and a framework rotatably mounted on said spindle and having a platform adjacentits 'lowe'r end for suppor-tinga coilfo'r feeding, a device for 'supporting a reserve coil above said platform-including a pair of :U-shaped "carriers supportedbn said framework to rotate therewith' and hav-ing arms extending outside said framework *and adapted tosuppor't a reserve coil'arid bight's extending within said framework, said carriers being 'movable on horizontal axes to coil supportingand coil releasing positions :and being balanced -to move normally to their coil-supporting positions whentfree of a coil and to their coil releasing po- "sitions'und'er the weightof a'coil'ga sleeve rotatably mounted on said spindle and normally rotatable with'said framework;'wings' on said sleeve engageable with said bights forholding said car- ;riers in their coil supporting positions, and means for rotating said sleeve manually relative to said framework for releasing said "wings from said bights to enable said carriers to'- move to their coil releasing positions and drop a coil supported thereon to said platform! 5 JOHNL; LOSINSKI. JOHN E. SCHWERMER.

REFERENCES CITED v The following referencesare'of record inthe fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES, PATENTS Name Date; McKinny Nov .-30, 1886 

